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演奏 (yǎn zòu) — to perform (on a musical instrument); to play (a musical piece in a performance)

Definition

演奏 is specifically for performing on a musical instrument or playing a musical piece. It is narrower than 表演 ('to perform/act' in general, including acting, dance, magic) and narrower than 演出 ('to put on a performance', any kind of show).

verb
to perform (on a musical instrument)to play (a musical piece in a performance)

Examples

  • 演奏，。
    Tā zhèng zài yǎn zòu gāng qín, shēng yīn hěn měi.
    He is performing on the piano, and the sound is beautiful.
  • 演奏。
    Tā men yǎn zòu le yì shǒu zhōng guó mín gē.
    They performed a Chinese folk song.
  • 演奏。
    Zhè chǎng yǎn zòu gěi rén men dài lái le kuài lè.
    This performance brought joy to the people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

演yǎnperform
奏zòuplay

The meanings 演 and 奏 work together as parallel ways of performing music.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape of 奏 pictures hands holding an object, perhaps an instrument used in a ritual, or hands collecting resin dripping from a cut tree.

Open 奏 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Music5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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